ScienceDaily: Latest Science News

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• 'Rock-breathing' bacteria could generate electricity and clean up oil spills
• Drinking coffee, decaf and tea regularly associated with a reduced risk of diabetes
• Parents: Be mindful of hazardous holiday ornaments
• Gas improves blood flow and organ status during minimally invasive surgery
• Going vertical: Fleeing tsunamis by moving up, not out
• Witnesses to bullying may face more mental health risks than bullies and victims
• Coconut-carrying octopus: Tool use in an invertebrate
• Myopia appears to have become more common
• New kind of micro-mobility: Microscopic system for moving tiny objects inside a microfluidic chip
• Minimally invasive surgery removes sinus tumor without facial disfiguration
• Unveiling mysterious possible comet strikes on Earth
• Significantly worse outcomes in cancer patients with cognitive impairment, study finds
• Portions of Arctic coastline eroding, no end in sight, says new study
• Controlling key enzyme in brain offers clue for future obesity treatment
• Killer catfish? Venomous species surprisingly common, study finds
• New thrombosis treatments? Blood clots form through newly discovered mechanism
• Physicists lay the groundwork for cooler, faster computing
• Sand playground surfaces reduce risk of arm fractures from falls, study shows
• Theorists propose a new way to shine -- and a new kind of star: 'electroweak'
• Variable doses of radiation raise safety concerns for CT procedures
• California's troubled waters: Satellite-based findings reveal significant groundwater loss in Central Valley
• Three anticoagulant studies may change current medical practice
• Ancient Book of Mark Found Not So Ancient After All
• High-sensation seeking youth drawn to sweet-tasting cigarettes, study finds
• Black carbon deposits on Himalayan ice threaten Earth's 'Third Pole'
• Brain plaques in healthy individuals linked to increased Alzheimer's risk
• Mechanism discovered by which body's cells encourage tuberculosis infection
• Potential genetic links to lung disease risk uncovered
• Geneticist reveals molecular view of key epigenetic regulator
• Brainstorming works best in less specialized efforts, study finds
• Hidden sensory system discovered in the skin
• NASA's WISE Eye on the Universe Begins All-Sky Survey Mission
• Cut out the (estrogen) middleman: Risky therapy for aging brain may be avoidable by focusing instead on hormone's target
• Chemists Create Class Of Carbenes Used To Make Catalysts
• Action on climate change compatible with long-term U.S. economic growth
• Female fruit flies can be 'too attractive' to males, scientists show
• Tendons shape bones during embryonic development
• Absence of evidence for a meteorite impact event 13,000 years ago
• Rapid cardiac biomarker testing system developed; cuts testing time from 6 hours to 45 minutes
• New light vision goggles light up the night
• Texting, tweeting ought to be viewed as GR8 teaching tools, scholar says
• Yellowstone's plumbing reveals plume of hot and molten rock 410 miles deep
• Immune-boosting drugs could enhance cancer treatment
• How Arctic food webs affect mercury in polar bears
• Screening method able to identify newborns with blood disorder that affects immune system
• Ethanol-powered vehicles generate more ozone than gas-powered ones
• Food industry faulted for pushing high-calorie, low-nutrient products

'Rock-breathing' bacteria could generate electricity and clean up oil spills Posted: 15 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST A new discovery could contribute to the development of systems that use domestic or agricultural waste to generate clean electricity.

Drinking coffee, decaf and tea regularly associated with a reduced risk of diabetes Posted: 15 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST Drinking more coffee (regular or decaffeinated) or tea appears to lower the risk of developing type 2 diabetes, according to a new analysis.

Parents: Be mindful of hazardous holiday ornaments Posted: 15 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST A new study has found that holiday decorations, particularly glass ornaments, are one more safety hazard parents must consider during the season.

Gas improves blood flow and organ status during minimally invasive surgery Posted: 15 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST As good as laparoscopy is in preventing some of the stresses of open surgery on the body, it does have drawbacks, including reduced blood flow and organ dysfunction. By adding another gas to the carbon dioxide used to inflate the surgical area during laparoscopy, researchers have found they can preserve more normal blood flow during noninvasive surgery. Laparoscopy is a type of surgery in the abdomen done through small incisions.

Going vertical: Fleeing tsunamis by moving up, not out Posted: 15 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST When the next big earthquake strikes Indonesia, a tsunami could follow close behind, killing thousands of people stuck in traffic jams while attempting to evacuate. Researchers suggest lives can be saved if those residents take refuge instead in nearby tall buildings -- but only after those buildings are strengthened to withstand big waves.

Witnesses to bullying may face more mental health risks than bullies and victims Posted: 15 Dec 2009 11:00 AM PST Students who watch as their peers endure the verbal or physical abuses of another student could become as psychologically distressed, if not more so, by the events than the victims themselves, new research suggests.

Coconut-carrying octopus: Tool use in an invertebrate Posted: 15 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Scientists once thought of tool use as a defining feature of humans. That's until examples of tool use came in from other primates, along with birds and an array of other mammals. Now adds an octopus to the growing list of tool users.

Myopia appears to have become more common Posted: 15 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST Myopia (nearsightedness) may have been more common in Americans from 1999 to 2004 than it was 30 years ago, according to a new study.

New kind of micro-mobility: Microscopic system for moving tiny objects inside a microfluidic chip Posted: 15 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST A new microscopic system could provide a novel method for moving tiny objects inside a microchip, and could also provide new insights into how cells and other objects are propelled around within the body.

Minimally invasive surgery removes sinus tumor without facial disfiguration Posted: 15 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST With the advances in sinus endoscopy, many tumors can now be removed directly through the nose, avoiding the need for facial incisions or a craniotomy. Complications are decreased and recovery is faster.

Unveiling mysterious possible comet strikes on Earth Posted: 15 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST New research shows a potential signature of nitrate and ammonia that can be found in ice cores corresponding to suspected impacts. Although high nitrate levels previously have been tied to space impacts, scientists have never before seen atmospheric ammonia spikes as indicators of space impacts with our planet.

Significantly worse outcomes in cancer patients with cognitive impairment, study finds Posted: 15 Dec 2009 08:00 AM PST A new study has found that cancer patients with dementia have a dramatically lower survival rate than patients with cancer alone, even after controlling for factors such as age, tumor type and tumor stage. But the study also argues that a diagnosis of dementia shouldn't discourage the use of cancer screenings and appropriate cancer treatments.

Portions of Arctic coastline eroding, no end in sight, says new study Posted: 15 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST The northern coastline of Alaska midway between Point Barrow and Prudhoe Bay is eroding by up to one-third the length of a football field annually because of a "triple whammy" of declining sea ice, warming seawater and increased wave activity, according to new study.

Controlling key enzyme in brain offers clue for future obesity treatment Posted: 15 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Researchers have determined that inhibiting the Sirt1 enzyme in the brain appears to help control food intake. Activating Sirt1 elsewhere in the body -- by fasting or with red wine -- is thought by some to help people live longer.

Killer catfish? Venomous species surprisingly common, study finds Posted: 15 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Name all the venomous animals you can think of and you probably come up with snakes, spiders, bees, wasps and perhaps poisonous frogs. But catfish?

New thrombosis treatments? Blood clots form through newly discovered mechanism Posted: 15 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Polyphosphate from blood platelets plays a key role in inflammation and the formation of blood clots, scientists have shown. The study could lead to new treatments for thrombosis.

Physicists lay the groundwork for cooler, faster computing Posted: 15 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST Quantum optics researchers have discovered new behaviors of light within photonic crystals that could lead to faster optical information processing and compact computers that don't overheat.

Sand playground surfaces reduce risk of arm fractures from falls, study shows Posted: 15 Dec 2009 05:00 AM PST School playgrounds fitted with granite sand surfacing significantly reduce the risk of children fracturing arms in comparison with wood fiber surfaces, according to a randomized trial.

Theorists propose a new way to shine -- and a new kind of star: 'electroweak' Posted: 15 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST Physicists propose there may be a new stage for some dying stars. Dubbed electroweak stars, they are fueled by the conversion of quarks to leptons, which prevents or staves off collapse into a black hole.

Variable doses of radiation raise safety concerns for CT procedures Posted: 15 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST Radiation doses from common CT procedures vary widely and are higher than generally thought, raising concerns about increased risk for cancer, according to a new study.

California's troubled waters: Satellite-based findings reveal significant groundwater loss in Central Valley Posted: 15 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST New space observations reveal that since October 2003, the aquifers for California's primary agricultural region -- the Central Valley -- and its major mountain water source -- the Sierra Nevada -- have lost nearly enough water combined to fill Lake Mead, America's largest reservoir. The findings, based on satellite data, reflect California's extended drought and increased pumping of groundwater for human uses such as irrigation.

Three anticoagulant studies may change current medical practice Posted: 15 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST New research reveals that the practice of using the anticoagulants aspirin and heparin with the hope of preventing clots in placental blood vessels is ineffective for preventing unexplained, recurrent miscarriages. Two other studies look at treatments for venous thromboembolism, a common and sometimes deadly clotting disorder.

Ancient Book of Mark Found Not So Ancient After All Posted: 15 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST A biblical expert, together with experts in micro-chemical analysis and medieval bookmaking, has concluded that one of the University of Chicago Library's most enigmatic possessions is a forgery.

High-sensation seeking youth drawn to sweet-tasting cigarettes, study finds Posted: 15 Dec 2009 02:00 AM PST New research showing that thrill-seeking teenagers are especially susceptible to fruit-flavored cigarettes is in line with the recent ban on the sale of flavored cigarettes by the US Food and Drug Administration in September 2009. According to the FDA, the ban, authorized by the new Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act, is part of a national effort by the FDA to reduce smoking, which is the leading preventable cause of death in America.

Black carbon deposits on Himalayan ice threaten Earth's 'Third Pole' Posted: 14 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Black soot deposited on Tibetan glaciers has contributed significantly to the retreat of the world's largest non-polar ice masses, according to new research by scientists from NASA and the Chinese Academy of Sciences. Soot absorbs incoming solar radiation and can speed glacial melting when deposited on snow in sufficient quantities.

Brain plaques in healthy individuals linked to increased Alzheimer's risk Posted: 14 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Scientists have long assumed that amyloid brain plaques found in autopsies of Alzheimer's patients are harmful and cause Alzheimer's disease. But autopsies of people with no signs of mental impairment have also revealed brain plaques, challenging this theory. Now, for the first time, researchers have shown that brain plaques in apparently healthy individuals are associated with increased risk of diagnosis with Alzheimer's disease years later.

Mechanism discovered by which body's cells encourage tuberculosis infection Posted: 14 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Tuberculosis bacteria use a signaling pathway to coerce disease fighting cells to switch allegiance and work on their behalf. Scientists have discovered a molecular mechanism by which TB bacteria prod epithelial cells to help produce tubercles. Instead of protecting the body, the tubercles act as hubs for production and dissemination of TB bacteria. The same signal pathway may also occur in non-infectious inflammatory conditions like arthritis, heart disease and cancer.

Potential genetic links to lung disease risk uncovered Posted: 14 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST A new study involving data from more than 20,000 individuals has uncovered several DNA sequences linked to impaired pulmonary function. The research, an analysis that combined the results of several smaller studies, provides insight into the mechanisms involved in reaching full lung capacity. The findings may ultimately lead to better understanding of lung function and diseases like asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, the fourth leading cause of death in the United States.

Geneticist reveals molecular view of key epigenetic regulator Posted: 14 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST New research reveals the structure and function of a key player in regulating chromatin in yeast and humans.

Brainstorming works best in less specialized efforts, study finds Posted: 14 Dec 2009 11:00 PM PST Applying brainstorming techniques to new product development works best when the collaboration employs participants from varied specialties gathering to develop a less complex product, according to new research.

Hidden sensory system discovered in the skin Posted: 14 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers report that the human body has an entirely unique and separate sensory system aside from the nerves that give most of us the ability to touch and feel. Surprisingly, this sensory network is located throughout our blood vessels and sweat glands, and is for most people, largely imperceptible. This discovery may shed light on the causes of unexplained chronic pain conditions such as fibromyalgia.

NASA's WISE Eye on the Universe Begins All-Sky Survey Mission Posted: 14 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST NASA's Wide-field Infrared Survey Explorer, or WISE, lifted off over the Pacific Ocean Dec. 14 on its way to map the entire sky in infrared light. WISE will see the infrared colors of the whole sky with sensitivity and resolution far better than the last infrared sky survey, performed 26 years ago.

Cut out the (estrogen) middleman: Risky therapy for aging brain may be avoidable by focusing instead on hormone's target Posted: 14 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Estrogen has a dual role in brain as a hormone and, indirectly, as a neurotransmitter, according to a new study which suggests a strategy for replacing hormone therapy.

Chemists Create Class Of Carbenes Used To Make Catalysts Posted: 14 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Researchers have successfully created in the laboratory a class of carbenes used to make catalysts. Until now, chemists believed these carbenes, called "abnormal N-heterocyclic carbenes" or aNHCs, were impossible to make. The aNHCs are stable at room temperature both in the solid state and in solution, which means their application as metal-free catalysts is extremely wide, greatly benefiting industry by making possible scores of new chemical reactions.

Action on climate change compatible with long-term U.S. economic growth Posted: 14 Dec 2009 08:00 PM PST Measures being proposed by the U.S. Climate Action Partnership to curb greenhouse gas emissions are unlikely to affect potential long-term economic growth in the United States, according to a study.

Female fruit flies can be 'too attractive' to males, scientists show Posted: 14 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Females can be too attractive to the opposite sex ---- too attractive for their own good ---- say biologists. They found that, among fruit flies, too much male attention directed toward attractive females leads to smaller families and, ultimately, to a reduced rate of population-wide adaptive evolution.

Tendons shape bones during embryonic development Posted: 14 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST In all vertebrates, including humans, bones, muscles and tendons work together to give the skeleton its characteristic balance of stability and movement. Now, new research uncovers a previously unrecognized interaction between tendons, which connect muscles to bones, and the developing embryonic skeleton. This study demonstrates that tendons drive the development of specific bone features that are needed for a strong skeletal system.

Absence of evidence for a meteorite impact event 13,000 years ago Posted: 14 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST An international team of scientists has found no evidence supporting an extraterrestrial impact event at the onset of the Younger Dryas approximately 13,000 years ago.

Rapid cardiac biomarker testing system developed; cuts testing time from 6 hours to 45 minutes Posted: 14 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST A new rapid and sensitive integrated system tests simultaneously for specific cardiac biomarkers in finger prick amount of blood. It could help physicians quickly arrive at the right diagnosis for timely medical intervention in patients suspected of having heart attacks.

New light vision goggles light up the night Posted: 14 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Vanderbilt LifeFlight is now using technology once reserved for military operations or secret spy missions. With the ability to enhance light 10,000 times, the air ambulance service's new night vision goggles essentially turn night into day.

Texting, tweeting ought to be viewed as GR8 teaching tools, scholar says Posted: 14 Dec 2009 05:00 PM PST Carol L. Tilley, a professor of library and information science at Illinois, says that critics who equate texting with literary degradation are wrong, and that they also overlook the bigger role that texting and its distant cousin, "tweeting," could play in education and research.

Yellowstone's plumbing reveals plume of hot and molten rock 410 miles deep Posted: 14 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST The most detailed seismic images yet published of the Yellowstone supervolcano's plumbing shows a plume of hot and molten rock rising from the northwest at a depth of at least 410 miles, contradicting claims that there is no deep plume. A related study indicates the banana-shaped magma chamber a few miles beneath Yellowstone is 20 percent larger than believed, so a future cataclysmic eruption could be larger than thought.

Immune-boosting drugs could enhance cancer treatment Posted: 14 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Stimulating the body's own immune system to fight cancer offers new treatment opportunities for cancer patients, and scientists have made the first step towards finding existing drugs that could help.

How Arctic food webs affect mercury in polar bears Posted: 14 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST With growing concerns about the effects of global warming on polar bears, it's increasingly important to understand how other environmental threats, such as mercury pollution, are affecting these magnificent Arctic animals. New research lays the groundwork for assessing current and future effects of mercury deposition and climate change on polar bears.

Screening method able to identify newborns with blood disorder that affects immune system Posted: 14 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST The testing of DNA from a statewide blood screening program for newborns in Wisconsin was able to identify infants with T-cell lymphopenia, a blood disorder that affects the child's immune system, a disease in which early identification is important, according to a new study.

Ethanol-powered vehicles generate more ozone than gas-powered ones Posted: 14 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST Vehicles running on ethanol will generate higher concentrations of ozone than those using gasoline, especially in the winter, researchers have found. That could create new health concerns in areas where ozone hasn't been a significant problem before.

Food industry faulted for pushing high-calorie, low-nutrient products Posted: 14 Dec 2009 02:00 PM PST A new report faults food and beverage producers for continuing to saturate television with ads for high-calorie, low-nutrient products.

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